I would suggest interviewing several agents who list and sell in your neighborhood/ area. There are a number of questions to ask the agents, such as:

How long have you been selling real estate?
Are you a full time or part time agent?
What marketing plan do you have for selling my home?
Do you have your own website? (Look at their site, see how homes are being marketed.)
What specific plans do you have for marketing my home?
What list price do you suggest for my home? What documentation do you have to support that list price?

Some agents tell you what you want to hear when it comes to a listing price. This is known as “buying a listing.” The agent is more concerned with getting your listing than with pricing your home properly as a part of an effective marketing strategy. Overpriced listings generally sit on the market and eventually the price will have to be reduced to attract buyers. However, by that time, your listing will be "stale" and you may find it selling for less than it would have sold for had it been priced properly at the beginning of the listing.

Good communication skills are also important, so ask agents if they limit their communication with customers to a specific number of calls a week (not the best option), will they provide buyer feedback after each showing, will they respond quickly if you have concerns that are important to you regarding your listing. You want an agent that will listen to you and communicate well with you and other agents.

Generally, the best agent is the one who markets your property effectively, negotiates the most favorable price and terms possible, knows the ins and outs of home inspections/ buyer financing/ closings and can communicate effectively with you to make the process as smooth as possible.

Some will say, "you get what you pay for" but if this were true, then the various business models wouldn't exist. One thing you need to know, not all low commission arrangements are really a bargain and not all high commission agents are truly full service. One thing I say often is a great agent is worth more than just their commission, but a bad one can cost you more than just a commission.... more

Whether it is or not, Alan, I'm not going to answer!
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... and nobody is requiring you to. I'm not suggesting that we should explain to clients (or anybody else, for that matter) that I made $1,377.49 on your listing.

But I have no problem explaining to people that the commission that the listing agent pays for his/her marketing, is divided into four (sometimes more) portions, and spread out between the listing agency, the buyer's agency, and the listing agent and the buyer's agent.... more